Intense storms ripped through the southern and eastern United States, leaving a wake of destruction and impacting over 175,000 customers without power on Tuesday morning. Tennessee was particularly hard hit, with over 69,350 residents and businesses experiencing power loss. Significant outages were also reported in Arkansas (over 42,540), Kentucky (nearly 28,000), Michigan (close to 20,000), and North Carolina (more than 15,100).

These widespread outages followed earlier storm damage on Monday, including fatalities in Arkansas and Indiana. One tragic incident involved a tornado striking a home in Indiana, while in Arkansas, declared a state of emergency, a falling tree caused another fatality. Utility crews were actively working to restore power, as seen in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The storms also wreaked havoc on air travel, causing numerous cancellations and delays over the weekend and into Monday. Major travel hubs across the eastern U.S. and Midwest were significantly affected. By early Tuesday, FlightAware reported over 1,130 flight cancellations, with more than 800 related to domestic flights. Airlines like Delta, JetBlue, and American all reported dozens of cancellations.

The severe weather is expected to continue, with the National Weather Service forecasting showers and thunderstorms across several states, including southeastern New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. A slight risk of excessive rainfall and localized flash flooding has been issued for portions of the northern mid-Atlantic. The storm front is anticipated to bring moderate to severe thunderstorms, with potential hazards including frequent lightning, strong wind gusts, hail, and a minimal chance of tornadoes.

Southern Kansas, Oklahoma, southwestern Missouri, and northwestern Arkansas are also predicted to experience severe thunderstorms and showers, with a risk of tornadoes and large hail. Similar conditions are expected in South Dakota and Nebraska. The storm threat is projected to lessen slightly over the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys by Wednesday, while the upper Midwest braces for more showers and storms.